A method and a device for determining the exhaust gas counter pressure is known from EP 0 417 984 A1. In order to determine the exhaust gas counter pressure, during a valve overlap phase, in which a gas intake valve and a gas discharge valve of the internal combustion engine have been opened at the same time, a pressure is determined in the housing of a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas counter pressure is determined depending on the pressure in the housing of a crankshaft during the valve overlap phase.